By Rob McInnes, © Diversity World, 2003

It was several years ago, and I woke up as Hank returned from his daily early-morning run. I had to admire his dedication to his daily regimen of healthy food and exercise. Hank was Vice President of a large telecommunications company. He was one of my team-mates on an intensive 3-week course that had us traveling across the country with another 248 “young leaders” from business, labor and community based organizations. The course had just begun and Hank and I had readily formed a bond from the start.

When I first heard about this course for “upcoming leaders” I knew that it was going to be a rare opportunity for “disability awareness”. I remembered how the Employers Forum in Great Britain had negotiated with their country’s most prestigious management training firm – to enable leaders from the disability community to attend their courses. Imagine – all the up-and-coming executives from major corporations taking their management training side-by-side with leaders from the disability community!

With this inspiration, and the opportunity to “infiltrate” a group of 250 future leaders, I did everything I could to get many of my friends with disabilities to apply. To my delight, three of them were selected to participate – as was I. One of them was my friend Gary. I was pleasantly surprised that Gary had been selected. Accommodating people with disabilities was new to the organizers and Gary’s accommodation needs were significant - he is paralyzed from the neck down and requires a full-time attendant.

On the second morning of the event, Hank and I were seated high in the auditorium and waiting for the proceedings to begin. He nudged me and, pointing, said “See that guy over there?” The following conversation ensued:

Rob: “Which one?”

Hank: “The one in the wheelchair.”

Rob: “Yes, I see him.”

Hank: “I would kill myself if I was him!”

Rob: “Oh… that would be really hard on his wife and kids!”

Hank: “You know him? He is married? He has children?”

Rob: “Oh yes. His name is Gary and his youngest child was born only two weeks ago. Because of that, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to attend this course.”

That gave Hank food for thought and I let him silently dwell on it. I knew that with his own fixation on health and fitness, he was having a hard time imagining Gary’s quality of life.

During coffee break later that afternoon, I was chatting with my friend Gary. The room was totally congested with people, but I managed to make eye contact with Hank who was on the other side of the room. I waved him over.

Now, because the room was so packed and because Gary was seated in his wheelchair, Hank had no idea that I was with Gary. As Hank finally burst through the crowd and saw Gary, a look of total shock crossed his face. Giving him no time to recover, I simply said “Gary, this is Hank. Hank this is Gary. I have to make a phone call. I’ll see you guys later.” And I left them.

A couple of hours later, Hank found me. “You know your friend Gary…” he said; “He is a very bright guy!” Extremely animated, he went on to tell me how impressed he was with Gary. He said he never suspected that people with disabilities could be so competent and knowledgeable.

That was the first of several conversations that Hank and Gary shared during the course. Hank also made a point of meeting my two other friends (with disabilities) that were also participants. He also began quizzing me with questions about other disabilities and disability issues. During the next three weeks the course gave us opportunity to converse with many businesses, government offices and community organizations – and Hank had numerous disability-related questions for all of them too.

A few weeks after the course concluded, I received a phone call from the Diversity Manager at the company Hank worked for. “What did you do to Hank?” she asked. She explained that for years Hank had been resisting all of her initiatives and wouldn’t give her the time of day on any of her concerns. Suddenly, he had arrived home from this course very keen on diversity issues. She also told me that almost immediately upon his return Hank told her that he wanted all of his regional managers to learn that their company could benefit from the talents and skills of people with disabilities. Knowing that it was a personal encounter that had enlightened him, he wanted a similar experience for his managers. Hank called them together for a special and unprecedented meeting – where they all spent several hours in conversation with the (blind) owner of a very well-known and successful local business.

Hank’s life was truly enriched by this whole experience of encountering “disability”. There were scores of others on this course who, I am sure, were similarly enriched - all because they had the opportunity to meet Gary and my other two friends face-to-face in a collegial atmosphere.

In a previous article (Attitudinal Change, April, 2003), I suggested that the most effective way to overcome attitudinal barriers in the workplace is to maximize the opportunities for positive contact between employers and people with disabilities. I think the encounter between Hank and Gary is a true testament to this notion. We all have an opportunity to orchestrate more of these encounters on national Disability Mentoring Day in the U.S. – October 15, 2003.

Find out more about Disability Mentoring Day... www.dmd-aapd.org
 

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Are you interested in learning more about disability and employment issues? Are you an employer? An educator? A service provider? A job seeker with a disability? On our Website, we have compiled inofrmation and links to a wide variety of topics and resources that can be useful to you.

More Information... www.diversityworld.com/Disability/index.htm
 

Last month’s newsletter (August edition: "Enriching our Workplaces") once more brought home to me the reality of those of us who are embedded in the day-to-day struggle of helping those with disabilities to gain hope of acceptance. I am the parent of a young man who never even made it into the neighborhood school setting. He started school right after public law 94142 came into effect. The school district where we lived was grappling with how the law was going to affect them and really couldn't see past that issue. Consequently, when I took my son to enroll him in kindergarten the principal of the school just looked at me like I had a "screw loose". Over the next 12 years I tried to place my son in our local public schools and was never successful. I must admit that the whole process wore me down with it's continual up-hill battle. I truly believe that my son received a very poor quality education when he was capable of so much more. Now, at 35, he is learning to read and write the way he should have been taught in the beginning.

Of course, the struggle now is all too familiar.... the one to be gainfully employed. He has had 8 years of poorly paid (less than minimum wage) jobs. Much to his credit, though he hasn't given up. He is interested in getting a job in a large chain store like Wal Mart where he will be able to mix with many people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. His desire and his beautiful sense of the world continues to be my inspiration as I keep hoping for some breakthrough for all those deserving people out there (like him) who just want what everyone else does.

Just a final thought... It is always amazing to me that people who want to work and have skills that would be such an asset to an employer but, because of a disability are so often are overlooked.

- Kat De Martini

Email Kathy...
 

Rob – I just read your article (July edition: "Professionals with Disabilities: Playing hard to get?") – forwarded to me by a contact I made while at the Seattle Chamber of Commerce meeting on disability. I attended the meeting with a colleague also interested in recruiting professionals with disabilities. The presenter focused the discussion on hiring entry level or mentally disabled workers, but the audience, comprised of other HR professionals from large organizations, soon turned the discussion toward this very topic. It seems that we are all looking for the organization, employment agency or website that leads us to professional, experienced candidates with disabilities. The problem is compounded by the fact that disabled candidates rarely self-identify in their resumes. [It is pretty easy to find Hispanic engineers by looking for resumes where SHPE – Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers – is listed as an activity or membership].

Not content to wait until such an organization is formed, I continue to network with anyone I come across who may be able to help. That said, I am looking for a senior recruiter to join Microsoft’s Technology Staffing team on a full-time basis here in Redmond, WA. All referrals welcome!

- Carmen Hudson, Senior Recruiter, Microsoft

Email Carmen
 

I thoroughly enjoyed your article in August on Enriching Our Workplaces. Very interesting.

I want to tell you about my experience last month. I am in a wheelchair, part-time. I was waiting for the trolly in San Diego, when a woman came up to me, using a walker. She commented on how nice I looked - clothing, hair, make-up, etc.

Then she made a comment that I can't get out of my mind. She said,"Most people I see in a wheelchair don't take care of themselves physically, like you do."

At first I just smiled. But the more I thought of it, the more I think this issue should be brought to the attention of other wheelchair users. Always try to look your best! You'll feel better about yourself and it should help on your self-esteem!

It's vital, especially if they are looking for employment.

- Ginny

Sarah Triano, activist and co-founder of the National Disabled Students Union, has teamed up with Dan Wilkins at The Nth Degree to create a line of Disability Pride products.

Through the sale of these thought-provoking products, they hope to:

1. Change the way people think about disability

2. Break down the internalized shame among people living with disabilities, and

3. Promote the belief in society that disability is a natural and beautiful part of human diversity that people living with disabilities can take pride in.

More on Disabled and Proud products... www.disabledandproud.com/pridewear.htm
 

T-TAP is a national technical assistance and training effort designed to increase the capacity of Community Rehabilitation Programs and other community-based service providers that currently operate programs that result in segregated work outcomes and non-work options for people with disabilities to:

(1) evolve their programs to provide integrated employment outcomes (i.e., non section 14(c) employment) in non-stereotypical jobs based on customized employment strategies and individual choice; and

(2) to increase wages of people with disabilities who are currently working at less than minimum wage through the use of customized employment strategies and individual choice.

Five projects are currently underway.

For more information… www.t-tap.org/ta/recipients.html
 

A free online seminar that delivers basic disability awareness training for Human Resource Professionals. This seminar covers topics such as history, myths & facts, research, tips for communication, tips for interviewing, and tips for accommodations all related to employing individuals with disabilities.

For more information… www.worksupport.com/biznet/da/daintro.html
 

"Opening Stages" is a free "Quarterly Newsletter for People with Disabilities Pursuing Careers in the Performing Arts" produced and distributed by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It is intended to help people with disabilities to more successfully pursue careers in the performing arts.

To subscribe, send an email with "Subscribe Opening Stages" in the subject field and include your name, email address, and snail mail address in the body.

Send email to access@kennedy-center.org...
 

The Henry B. Betts Award was created by the Prince Charitable Trusts and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 1989 to annually honor an individual whose work and scope of influence have significantly improved the quality of life for people with disabilities in the past, and will be a force for change in the future.

One outstanding living individual is selected each year to receive The Henry B. Betts Award. That person receives an unrestricted $50,000 cash award.

For more information... www.aapd-dc.org/docs/2003bettsapp.html
 

We are not sure how they can do it, but... The Jim Mullen Foundation provides free computers for people with disabilities. The organization specializes in providing computers for anybody especially for those individuals who think that they are unable to use one.

For more information… www.jimmullen.com/ZoomSeq.asp?id=7948
 

The 6th Annual Summit of the Business Leadership Network is scheduled for San Francisco in November 2003. Program content will focus on improving the ability of employers to effectively employ people with disabilities. Featured speakers include Richard Pimentel, Michael Coleman, and Denise Bissonnette.

Don't miss this one!! Save $55 - register before September 30!

For more information... www.blnsummit.org
 

An analysis of the US Census 2000 has been released. While it covers a lot of issues beyond employment ones, it does indicate that approximately 60% of working age men with disabilities are employed vs. 80% of men without disabilities. Similarly, about 51% of working age women with disabilities were employed vs. 67% of women without disabilities. As explained in the report, the Census uses a very broad definition of disability. As other studies show, the employment rates for people with severe disabilities are dramatically lower.

For More Information (pdf)… www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-17.pdf
 

Making the Case: The Nuts and Bolts of Hiring People With Disabilities Thursday, September 11, 2003 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET The national Chamber of Commerce is holding a webcast on recruiting people with disabilities. Business representatives from a large regional children's medical center and a rural, mid-sized electronics manufacturing business will discuss their experiences in successfully recruiting workers from the disability community. Also as part of the panel, a chamber representative will address how chambers can help their business members connect with community resources, and a community-based service provider will discuss the power of partnerships among community stakeholders that are working to solve the problem of staffing shortages.

For more information… www.uschamber.com/cwp/strategies/disabilities/default
 

The National Organization on Disability is urging America's mayors and chief elected officials to enter their communities in the third annual $25,000 Accessible America Award Competition, open to all U.S. cities and towns. The deadline for entries is October 31, 2003.

More Information... http://rd.bcentral.com/?ID=1079054&s=11667406
 

In an archival study the academic outcomes of 653 Dawson College, Quebec students with and 41,357 without disabilities were compared over a 12 year period starting in 1990 and ending in 2002. Results indicate that students with both physical and learning disabilities had graduation rates that were virtually identical to those of non-disabled students, although students with disabilities took approximately one semester longer to graduate. When average grades and course pass rates were examined, students with disabilities generally did at least as well, and in some cases significantly better than their non-disabled peers.

For more information (doc)... http://adaptech.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/pubs/PAREA_2k3.doc
 

In 2002 study of nearly 500 companies (representing all types of firms, large and small, B2B and B2C, and profit-seeking and not-for-profit) 98.24% of the websites examined , failed the Bobby test for website accessibility and thus are not in compliance with Federal Regulation Section 508 nor the W3C Consortium standards. It was revealed that web designers were not knowledgeable of the exact techniques for making their site fully compliant (17.40%), and web designers felt that persons with disabilities were not a part of their target audience (42.07%).

For more information... www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv08n2/milliman.html
 

In our Diversity Shop, we feature disability-related employment-focused materials for employers, service providers, educators, job seekers and others with similar interests. Please browse through our current selections of books and videos.

Diversity Shop's Disability Products... www.diversityshop.com/store/disability.html
 

Check out the newest addition to our store... the Job Search Handbook for People with Disabilities! A thorough overview of effective job search planning, from assessing your skills to keeping your job, with special consideration for disability-related concerns and issues.

More Information on Job Search Strategies... www.diversityshop.com/store/jobsrch.html
 

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